NATO Possible Forum for Solving Armenia-Turkey Problems

PanARMENIAN.Net - IPAP is called an Individual Partnership Action Plan as each country proceeds from its own interests when working it out. NATO SecGen's Special Representative for the South Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons stated it addressing a round table organized by Center for Strategic Analysis Spectrum. «For example, Georgia has underscored it wishes to become a NATO member and works for it. An advantage of the IPAP is that countries choose exactly what fits their interests best. It is the country that chooses priorities in cooperation with the NATO,» Simmons remarked. In his words, the IPAP provides for NATO member states providing assistance to partners for attaining their goals.



R. Simmons assessed NATO involvement in the South Caucasus and Central Asia as positive. «NATO involvement in the South Caucasus may benefit security of the three countries of the region. It is very important that the relations between NATO partners to normalize and attention should focus on peacekeeping missions and multilateral military force participation in those actions,» the NATO senior representative said. For example NATO participation helped solve the conflict between Russia and Georgia, he remarked. When commenting on Armenian-Turkish relations, Mr. Simmons stated, «We know Armenia has serious problems with Turkey. Turkey is a NATO member, however we consider the NATO should be used as a forum to solve the problems available.»



Besides, R. Simmons emphasized that working out an information program was a very important component of NATO-Armenia cooperation. The mandate of the NATO Liaison Officer in the South Caucasus provides for information activities as well. Thus societies of the countries of the region, including Armenia, should be well informed of NATO activities and cooperation of the partner states with the Alliance. For that purpose visits of representatives of partner states to NATO Headquarters in Brussels are organized, as well as NATO representatives visit the region. Besides, it is agreed to open an Information Center in the South Caucasus, R. Simmons added.